What is SIP Peering? How It Works
SIP peering connects your phone system (IP-PBX) to Be Connect over the internet without the PBX having to log in. Instead of registering with a username and password, your PBX and our network recognise each other by IP address. Calls for your numbers are sent straight to your PBX, and calls from your PBX are accepted because they come from an address we already know.
Some IP-PBXs cannot be configured to register to Be Connect as a client. For those systems SIP peering is the only way to connect. For many others it is simply the more reliable choice.
Two meanings of “SIP peering”
In the telecommunications industry, SIP peering often describes two carriers exchanging voice traffic directly between their networks instead of through the traditional phone network. On this page we mean the business version: a SIP trunk between Be Connect and your own phone system that is authenticated by IP address. Some providers call this an IP-authenticated or static SIP trunk.
How SIP peering works
- Your site has a fixed (static) public IP address, and your PBX sits behind it.
- Be Connect sets up a peering trunk on your account that points at that address.
- You create a SIP trunk on your PBX that points at Be Connect, with registration turned off.
- Inbound calls to any number on your account are sent to your PBX. Outbound calls from your PBX are accepted because they arrive from your known IP address.
SIP peering vs SIP registration
| SIP registration | SIP peering | |
|---|---|---|
| How your PBX is identified | Username and password | Your static public IP address |
| Does the PBX need to log in? | Yes, and it re-registers regularly | No |
| After a short internet drop | Inbound calls fail until the PBX registers again | Calls arrive as soon as the connection is back |
| Adding more numbers | Often needs changes on the PBX | New numbers follow the trunk automatically |
| Background traffic | Registration and keep-alive traffic | No registration traffic |
| What you need | Any internet connection | A static public IP address |
Benefits of SIP peering
- Calls always reach your PBX. Your device does not need to be logged in or registered, so calls are always routed to it. If your internet connection resets or drops for a moment, calls start arriving again as soon as it comes back, with no wait for a re-registration.
- All your numbers, no extra setup. Every number on your account routes to your IP-PBX. Add more numbers and they are sent down the same trunk automatically.
- Less bandwidth. There is no registration or “polling” traffic of the kind usually sent to devices behind NAT.
- A pilot number keeps caller ID simple. Peering trunks have a pilot number. You can present any caller ID down the trunk, and if it is not recognised as being on your account, the caller ID is set to the trunk number. This keeps configuration simple and stops outbound calls being rejected.
What you need before you start
- A static public IP address at the site where your PBX runs. Ask your internet provider if you do not already have one.
- An IP-PBX or session border controller that supports IP-authenticated SIP trunks. Most business phone systems do.
- A firewall that allows SIP signalling and voice traffic between your PBX and Be Connect. We give you the addresses to allow.
- Your phone numbers on a Be Connect account.
How to set up SIP peering with Be Connect
- Contact our team with your static IP address and the numbers that should route to your PBX.
- We create the peering trunk and send you the connection details for your PBX.
- Create the SIP trunk on your PBX with registration turned off, using those details.
- Allow our addresses through your firewall, then make a test call in each direction.
Is SIP peering right for your business?
Choose SIP peering if your phone system has a static IP address and you want the most dependable inbound calling, or if your PBX cannot register to a provider at all. Choose SIP registration if your IP address changes, or if you only have a few handsets and no on-site PBX.
Not sure which you need? Our SIP trunking page explains the options, and if your team calls through Microsoft Teams, see Teams calling.
Frequently asked questions
Is SIP peering more secure than registration?
It removes the trunk password that could otherwise be guessed, because we only accept calls from your IP address. You still need a properly configured firewall in front of your PBX.
Can I use SIP peering without a static IP address?
No. Peering identifies your PBX by its IP address, so the address must not change. Use SIP registration instead.
Will my existing numbers work?
Yes. Every number on your Be Connect account can be routed down the peering trunk, and numbers you add later follow it automatically.
What happens to caller ID on outbound calls?
You can present any caller ID. If the number is not on your account, the call goes out with your trunk’s pilot number instead of being rejected.
Ready to connect your phone system? Talk to Be Connect or call 0800 23 3444.
More in SIP trunking & PBX setup
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